Distributing files across multiple, permissibly heterogeneous, storage devices
US6782389B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 11, 2001 |
| Grant date | Aug 24, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 5, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S707/99953
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A file system (i) permits storage capacity to be added easily, (ii) can be expanded beyond a given unit, (iii) is easy to administer and manage, (iv) permits data sharing, and (v) is able to perform effectively with very large storage capacity and client loads. State information from a newly added unit is communicated (e.g., automatically and transparently) to central administration and management operations. Configuration and control information from such operations is communicated (e.g., automatically) back down to the newly added units, as well as existing units. In this way, a file system can span both local storage devices (like disk drives) and networked computational devices transparently to clients. Such state and configuration and control information can include globally managed segments as the building blocks of the file system, and a fixed mapping of globally unique file identifiers (e.g., Inode numbers) and/or ranges thereof, to such segments.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.